Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-12-22
tho n;c,u,.. ill ar.lIy :. surprised

last, and when he went sleep by the
aide of the loud-snoring imbiber of
the flowing bowl, the sweet face
haunted his troubled dreams.
"What did she say to zee in the
letter." said Sam to Joe next morn
ing, as they sat at their frugal break
fast of bacon, potatoes, coffee, bread
and molasses. ''I'll be boun' it was
sweet little letter she wrote to ZEE,
thees seem so quiet and 'appy like.
Who be she, anyhow. | never
knawed zee had maid before.
Thee'rt a sly 'un, Joe Tonkyns, thee
art"
"She won't write any more," said
Joe quietly. 'Wat," cried Sam, al
most dropping his fork on the road
to his mouth, "not write any more!
Catched another man cross the
water as she?"
"No! She's coming out. Didn't
know | had sent for her, did your"
"Thee get out, Joe Tonkyns,
thee'rt coddin' me! That's a queer
chap, now. Ere I've been batchin'
with zee goin' on five months, an zee
never breathed word. Thee'rt a
SLY 'un, iss thee art. But when be
she comm, an when art'a TO be
morried?"
"She's coming in September; but
we are not going to be married that
| know Of" said Joe in some CON
fusion, which to hide he took down
his clay pipe from niche in the
wall and filled it from sack which
he pulled from his pocket-then
adding shortly, "She's my sister"
Sam stared at him incredulously
for full half minute; and whistling
softly didn't say anything for at
least twice that space of time, which
suppression of his volubillty was at
least AS surprising as the news
which COMPOUNDED him.
Then-"What be she like, Ton
kyns? 'Ow old is she?" For an
answer Joe took from his pocket the
treasured picture and placed it on
tn e table with simply, CHATS her"
Pichard took it into his clumsy,
callused hands, and very clumsily
undoing the fastenings, opened it
aud looked at the fair face without
a word; then, after period of adj
miring inspection, he wrapped 1t up
with the same silence, handed 1t
back, lit his pipe, and only then from
behind a cloud Of smoke came the
encomium, which maybe told more
of the effect it made on Sam s uu-
cultured mind than a whole page of
fine expressions. "Joe Tonkyns ZEE
don't mean to tell me thee'rt a'goiu'
t. bring that maid to this great
/ howlln' wilderness, do 'ee?" Then
there vas more smoke and longer
silence, which may have lasted no
one knows how long, had 1t not been
for the advent of two miners who
went through life by the names OF
Josh Pendenner and John Sampson.
These two worthys, III all the glory
/ Of stiff starched, collsrless, white
shirts, which buIged very much at
the bosom, and fitted very uncom-
fortably around the swarthy necks,
were on the way down town to pass
the day, which happened to be Sun.
day, in the usual manner, which
meant, to drink little, smoke a
great deal, aud gossip a good deal
! more.
"Wat do zee think, men," said
Sam wlnklng slyly at Joe; " ave zee
card as 'ow Tonkyns ere is like to
get wumau?"
"Who be she?" exclaimed Josh
"MaId Elizabeth Jane Torzer up the
'ollow? She that prayed for Zee ut
at cl4ss-meetin' tother Sunday; made
a powerful prayer, | 'eerd tell, with
the tears runuin' down her cheek
like rain. Reckon It's she; bent M
uow?'
"No, it bent she," broke in Joe
| initiating Josh's peculiar dialect.
"Well, out with un. Who be sbe?
"Molly Tonkyns, from Truro
"Not thy sister, surely? ?" "I les
Here Sam, you can answer all cues
tons. I'm going up to the mine fol
awhile" So saying, he picked al
his hat and went out, leaving Phi
chard to invent all the improbable
ties he saw fit for the occasion. ),
that day, by the agency of Same
powerful imagination, every body II
the diggiugs knew more alb 1ut Jo'
Toukyns' sister than be did himself
TO be continued
] Is CONSUMPTION INCURABLE?
Read the following: Mr.. G. II